People who practice yoga in prison, are less likely to return upon release. The behaviors that lead people to prison are often the result of deeply held trauma. The yoga we teach aims to safely release this unresolved trauma by addressing the root cause rather than symptoms.

Most of our students return to society, about 97%. When they do, we want them to thrive and be leaders for change. Our programs give students the tools and self-esteem to do so.

In addition to the physical benefits and improved overall well-being, yoga and meditation have been scientifically proven to:

• Drastically reduce rates of recidivism, people who practice yoga and meditation behind bars are less likely to return to prison once they have finished their sentence

• Only 8% of individuals who took 4 or more yoga classes returned to prison, compared with a national average of 60% recidivism.

•  Reduce depression, anger, and anxiety, often a root cause of destructive behavior and drug use.

• Be an effective adjunctive therapy during treatment for drug addiction, which is a co-factor in many of our students’ incarceration.

Our team of 100+ volunteer instructors currently reach an average of 250 students through 37 classes weekly, in 17 different facilities in 7 Washington State Counties each week. We teach at all custody levels, maximum, medium, and minimum, as well as solitary confinement.

Our students give this work meaning. Each year we teach thousands of incarcerated people yoga, and bring meditation and asanas to a variety of populations, including youth, the mental health unit at the women’s prison, the Veteran’s pod at Kent Jail, and men in solitary at the Monroe prison.

Our 17-hour trauma-informed trainings provide up-to-date skills for working with vulnerable populations behind and beyond bars. Our teacher trainees join us to deepen their own practice and learn trauma-informed healing modalities to address the unique challenges faced by populations impacted by trauma.

In August of 2015, 10 men from 5 different prisons around the state were transferred to Stafford Creek Corrections Center to start their training. They graduated in February 2016 and are now teaching yoga classes at 5 facilities across the state. In October of 2016, 10 women at Washington Corrections Center for Women started their training, and 5 of them graduated in April 2017.